Spied: 2013 Toyota Avalon

What It Is: A pair of heavily camouflaged next-generation 2013 Toyota Avalon prototypes. The current-generation Toyota Avalon has been on sale since 2005, making it nearly as old—in car years—as the typical Avalon buyer. Despite a minor refresh for 2011, the Avalon clearly is due for an update, and these spy photos indicate that Toyota’s full-size sedan will be getting one soon. It remains to be seen whether the redesign can keep customers flocking to Toyota’s traditionally stodgy sedan and compete with Hyundai’s stylish 2012 Azera or the upcoming 2013 Chevrolet Impala.

Why It Matters: The Avalon is supposed to be Toyota’s step-up vehicle for Camry owners who want additional luxury—we suspect many of those potential customers simply buy a Lexus ES instead. This has left the Avalon for those who look at traditional Buicks with a nostalgic gaze. Even covered in camouflage and black tape, it’s apparent that Toyota is attempting to inject some style and zest into the Avalon for 2013. Up front there’s a Camry-like grille, headlights, and fog lamps. Out back, LED taillights are visible through the cover-up job, as are sporty dual exhaust outlets. The sloping roofline is more daring than the outgoing Avalon’s more-formal greenhouse, and an interesting scalloped character line runs the length of the body beneath the side windows. Inside, the steering wheel gets a ton of buttons, but it’s still flanked by familiar Toyota turn-indicator and wiper stalks as well as a cruise-control widget that’s not far removed from the one in your Grandpa’s 1994 Corolla.

latform: The Avalon likely will continue to utilize a stretched version of the Camry’s architecture, only now it will use the latest Camry architecture. (The current model shares its underpinnings with the 2002 Camry, a car two generations removed from the latest mid-sizer.) It looks as though a slight size increase may be in store for the next Avalon.

Powertrain: The current Avalon’s 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic should carry over to the new car. As before, the 2013 model will be driven by the front wheels.